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**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:41 PM

Spurs favored by 7.5 at New Jersey

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (45-9)

at NEW JERSEY NETS (17-38)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: San Antonio -7.5, Total: 191

The Spurs continue to roll along nicely on their Rodeo Road Trip, as they make their penultimate stop in New Jersey Monday night.

San Antonio is 18-8-1 ATS (69%) on the road this season, which is the second-best mark in the NBA behind New York. After slipping up in Philadelphia on Friday night, the Spurs recovered with a convincing win in Washington on Saturday, defeating a Wizards team that’s been pretty good at home by 24. Seven games into their road trip, the Spurs have six different players averaging double-digit points. With Tim Duncan getting more rest, DeJuan Blair has emerged as a force, averaging a double-double (13.9 PPG, 11.0 RPG) on the trip.

Since their meeting in the 2003 Finals, the Spurs had rung off 13 consecutive wins over the Nets, going 9-4 ATS in that span, until an upset loss last March. However, San Antonio played that game without Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

The Nets continue to struggle on the offensive end. They rank third-to-last in the league in offensive efficiency on the season, and February has been more of the same. Through six games this month, they’re shooting 43.5% from the field and scoring an anemic 92.0 PPG. Center Brook Lopez, their leading scorer, is averaging 19.2 PPG during that span but has needed 17.0 field goal attempts per game to get it. The sparse crowds at the Prudential Center don’t create much of a home court advantage. The Nets have dropped three of four, SU and ATS, at home.

I’m picking San Antonio. The Spurs have shown no signs of being road-weary yet, and they have a rare five-star trend from the FoxSheets on their side:

SAN ANTONIO is 19-3 ATS (86.4%, +15.7 Units) after having won 3 of their last 4 games this season. The average score was SAN ANTONIO 104.1, OPPONENT 93.7 - (Rating = 5*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:42 PM

Syracuse seeks 9th straight home win over WVU

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (16-8, 7-5 in Big East)

at SYRACUSE ORANGE (20-6, 7-6 in Big East)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Syracuse -5, Total: 133

After starting the season 18-0, Syracuse has lost six of its past eight games. The Orange look to get back on track when they host West Virginia on Monday night.

Syracuse dropped its second straight contest to a ranked team, falling at Louisville, 73-69, on Saturday. Brandon Triche (10.8 PPG) had 16 of his season-high 21 points in the second half, including four three-pointers, and has scored in double-figures in 13 of his past 17 games. After struggling in his previous two games (combined 4-of-14 for 12 points), Scoop Jardine (12.4 PPG, 6.0 APG) added 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting with four assists against the Cardinals. But leading scorer Kris Joseph (14.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 37.2% three-pointers) had just nine points on 2-of-5 shooting, while Rick Jackson (12.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG) had seven points and is a combined 4-for-10 in his past two games for 11 points. Four of the Orange's six losses since Jan. 17 have come against ranked Big East teams, which includes setbacks at Pittsburgh (74-66), Villanova (83-72), Georgetown (64-56) and at Louisville. Their only win against a Top 25 team during that stretch was at Connecticut, 66-58, on Feb. 2.

West Virginia is 4-4 in its past eight games and is coming off an 82-71 victory over DePaul on Saturday, which snapped a two-game losing streak. After scoring 58.0 PPG in their previous six games, the Mountaineers had 82 points on 52.8% shooting (28-of-53) versus the Blue Demons. But they've struggled defensively in the past two contests, allowing 71 points in consecutive games after surrendering 55.0 PPG in the previous five. John Flowers (9.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, Big East-best 2.4 BPG) led a balanced attack with 15 points and five rebounds against DePaul, while leading scorer Casey Mitchell (15.0 PPG, 36.2% three-pointers) added 11 after scoring just seven points in the past two games combined. Kevin Jones (13.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG) chipped in with eight points and five rebounds, but failed to score in double figures for the first time in four contests. The Mountaineers are 2-3 this season against teams that were ranked at the time they played them. WVU defeated Georgetown (65-59) and Purdue (68-64) and lost to Louisville (55-54), Villanova (66-50) and Pittsburgh (71-66).

Syracuse has dominated its series with West Virginia, winning 15 of the past 18 games (12-6 ATS). The Orange have won eight consecutive games at home versus the Mountaineers, and have not lost to them at the Carrier Dome since 1996. They lead the all-time series between the two schools, 32-16. Last season, Triche scored 16 points to lead the Orange to a 72-71 victory in Morgantown. These two FoxSheets trends also like Syracuse to win and cover the spread on Monday.

WEST VIRGINIA is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) after 3 straight games committing 14 or less turnovers this season. The average score was WEST VIRGINIA 73.3, OPPONENT 65.1 - (Rating = 2*).

SYRACUSE is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) versus teams who average 6 or less steals/game on the season after 15+ games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was SYRACUSE 83.1, OPPONENT 69.6 - (Rating = 1*).

Eight of the past 11 games in this series have finished Under the total and this four-star FoxSheets coaching trend expects Monday’s game to be low-scoring as well.

Bob Huggins is 19-4 UNDER (82.6%, +14.6 Units) versus good passing teams, averaging >=16 assists/game after 15+ games as the coach of WEST VIRGINIA. The average score was WEST VIRGINIA 65.6, OPPONENT 64.5 - (Rating = 4*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:43 PM

Bobcats try to retain dominance over Lakers

LOS ANGELES LAKERS (38-17)

at CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (23-31)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Los Angeles -5, Total: 188

The Charlotte Bobcats are starting to prove they can beat winning teams and a victory against the two-time defending champion Lakers on Monday, would really boost confidence in a young, but talented locker room.

The Lakers started their seven-game road trip by impressively beating New Orleans, Memphis, Boston and New York. Los Angeles then suffered a tough loss to Orlando 89-75 on Sunday. The Lakers have really stiffened up on defense allowing 90.0 PPG on the road trip thus far (96.0 PPG allowed for the season). L.A. relies on Kobe Bryant (25.4 PPG) to score and lead this veteran team, but on Sunday the All-Star could only muster 17 points, including just four points after halftime. Bryant has had great success against the Bobcats averaging 30.7 PPG in 11 career games, but Charlotte has beaten Los Angeles seven out of the past nine meetings. Pau Gasol must improve his play against the Bobcats for the Lakers to have a chance on Monday night. Gasol (18.6 PPG) has averaged 12.8 PPG on just 38.3% FG in the past four meetings against Charlotte.

The Bobcats are playing much better basketball against winning teams by beating Boston Feb. 7, 94-89, and winning at Atlanta on Saturday 88-86. The Bobcats are 23-31 SU (26-27 ATS) and trail the Pacers by two games for the final spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Charlotte may be in a much better position if it could figure out how to use its home-court advantage and play well at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Charlotte is only 13-14 (11-15 ATS) at home and recently lost to the less-talented Nets 94-89 Friday in Charlotte. The Bobcats need that scoring boost like they received on Saturday from Stephen Jackson (19.2 PPG). Jackson, who scored 32 points, hit a last-second shot to lift the Bobcats over the Hawks 88-86. Charlotte once trailed 51-29 in the contest, but rallied from 22 down to complete its largest comeback in franchise history.

The success the Bobcats have had against the Lakers has been astounding by winning seven of nine SU and going 10-1 ATS in the past 11 meetings. For the season, both teams are mediocre against the spread with Charlotte being 26-27 and Los Angeles being 25-30. The Bobcats have had great success over the past three years against Pacific Division opponents, going 20-6 SU and 19-7 ATS. The Lakers also have not been good covering the spread against teams with a losing record, going 9-16 ATS. It is going to be extremely tough for the older Lakers to play their fourth road game in five days. I like Charlotte to continue its dominance over the Lakers and win Monday night. The FoxSheets show two reasons to pick the Bobcats, including:

Play Against - Road favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (L.A. LAKERS) - after going under the total by 30 or more points total in their last three games, in non-conference games.(51-22 over the last 5 seasons.) (69.9%, +26.8 units. Rating = 2*).

L.A. LAKERS are 2-12 ATS (14.3%, 11.2 Units) after a combined score of 175 points or less over the last 2 seasons. The average score was L.A. LAKERS 98.1, OPPONENT 98.7 - (Rating = 2*).

The Lakers have played four straight games finishing Under the total and this FoxSheets trend also sides with the Under.

Play Under - All teams where the total is between 180 and 189.5 points (LA LAKERS) - in a game involving two average defensive teams (92-98 PPG) after 42+ games, after a combined score of 165 points or less. (78-39 since 1996.) (66.7%, +35.1 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:44 PM

Nuggets look for rare road win at Houston

DENVER NUGGETS (31-24)

at HOUSTON ROCKETS (25-30)

Tip-off: Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Houston -2.5, Total: 223

The Nuggets still have Carmelo Anthony, and now they’re getting some of their walking wounded (Chauncey Billups, Nene) back in the lineup. But can they find success on the road?

Denver enters Monday night in possession of the sixth seed in the ultra-competitive West. But the Nuggets have gotten there despite a 9-17 SU and 12-14 ATS record on the road. They might be able to turn it around in Houston, though. Historically, Denver has struggled to contain Yao Ming. Over the past three seasons, Yao has averaged 22.0 PPG on 59.2% shooting against the Nuggets, and the Rockets are 13-6 SU against Denver with Yao in the lineup. But without Yao, Denver is 3-2 SU against the Rockets.

Despite all the trade-fueled distractions, Anthony is on fire of late, averaging 32.1 PPG on 55.4% shooting in his past seven games. There have been games when Shane Battier and the Rockets defense has held him in check, but that wasn’t the case during the teams’ last Monday’s meeting in Denver. Melo attacked Battier relentlessly, getting him into foul trouble and getting to the line a whopping 18 times. His final line: 50 points on 16- of-24 FG and 16-of-18 from the line. Denver fell short that night, as Kevin Martin nearly matched Anthony. Martin made up for a dud performance (eight points) at Denver in January with 37 last Monday. He also had 29 and 21 in his two home games against the Nuggets as a Rocket.

Houston is coming off three straight ATS home losses, but it finished strong in a 106-102 loss to Dallas on Saturday. This one is going to be tight, but considering its win in Denver a week ago, as well as the Nuggets’ consistent road struggles, I’m going with Houston. A couple of trends from the FoxSheets back that pick up, including:

HOUSTON is 21-9 ATS (70.0%, +11.1 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game this season. The average score was HOUSTON 107.2, OPPONENT 103.1 - (Rating = 2*).

DENVER is 11-27 ATS (28.9%, -18.7 Units) when the line is +3 to -3 over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DENVER 102.8, OPPONENT 106.3 - (Rating = 2*).

Ten of Denver’s past 13 games have finished Over the total and this FoxSheets trend also sides with the Over.

DENVER is 13-3 OVER (81.3%, +9.7 Units) when playing 6 or more games in 10 days this season. The average score was DENVER 111.4, OPPONENT 110.8 - (Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:49 PM

Week 15 NCAA basketball betting preview

Strap yourselves in, boys and girls. A volatile college basketball betting season officially went to flame-on status this past Saturday when the last of the unbeatens, top-ranked Ohio State, suffered defeat at Wisconsin to open the door for a new No. 1 team to sit atop the polls.

The question now is just who will ascend to the throne with at least five teams, including the Buckeyes, having a legitimate claim.

If Monday's rankings were left up to college hoops bettors, Duquesne and George Mason might wind up 1-2. The Atlantic 10 and Colonial Athletic Association leaders respectively, the Dukes and Patriots have combined to bring home the cheese in 32 of 40 lined games.

Texas would also get some votes from bettors with a 15-5 spread record. The Longhorns will also get votes from both coaches and the press with a 22-3 straight-up mark that includes a tough win on the road at Kansas in January, part of their 10-game string of triumphs. Two of their three losses were by a total of three points to Pittsburgh and Connecticut. The lone off-night for Rick Barnes' bunch came in early December when the 'Horns trekked to USC and fell 73-56 as five-point road chalk.

Conventional wisdom says Kansas, No. 2 in both polls last week, will be the new No. 1. The Jayhawks have been playing as well as any squad in the country since the loss to Texas, the two conference foes seemingly destined to meet once more in the Big 12 Tournament a month from now.

Pittsburgh and Duke will each receive a first-place vote or two, and why not? The Panthers are 5-2 against ranked clubs and own an 11-1 record in Big East play, an amazing stat considering how deep and tough that conference is this season. Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils spent the first 10 weeks of the season atop the polls following their 2010 NCAA Championship, and have just two marks in the loss columns, both defeats on the road.

And then there is Ohio State. Put me down as among those who aren't so sure the Buckeyes shouldn't still be the No. 1 team. The timing of their only loss dictates Thad Matta's troops will drop a couple of rungs in the next rankings. But playing the 'what if' game, think about how things would be if that loss occurred in January and Kansas' defeat to Texas came this past Saturday.

Regardless of how it's sorted out this week, here's a rundown of where the top teams will be in action the next seven days.

1. Ohio State (24-1 SU, 11-11 ATS)
Both Buckeyes games this week will be previewed here at Don Best, starting with Tuesday's home matchup versus Michigan State. Ohio State won last year's lone meeting, 74-67, as five-point underdogs in East Lansing. The Buckeyes close the week in West Lafayette on Sunday when they face Purdue for a second time this season. Ohio State strolled to an 87-64 win at home over the Boilermakers on Jan. 25.

2. Kansas (24-1, 13-10)
The Jayhawks open the week on the road Monday at Kansas State who they've beaten seven straight, including a 90-66 rout just a few weeks ago in Lawrence. Kansas closes the week at home on Saturday versus Colorado. Those two played in Boulder on Jan. 25 with the Jayhawks coming away with an 82-78 win as 7½-point favorites.

3. Texas (22-3, 15-5)
Six wins away from a perfect run through their Big 12 regular season slate, the Longhorns will face Oklahoma State at home on Wednesday before traveling to Nebraska on Saturday. Texas thumped Okie State 61-46 in Stillwater on Jan. 26 as four-point road chalk.

4. Pittsburgh (23-2, 11-9)
The Panthers face a possible let-down/look-ahead game on Wednesday when they host South Florida, the first of two meetings this season between the schools. That contest comes off last Saturday's big win at Villanova and next Saturday's trip to Madison Square Garden to face a dangerous St. John's club.

5. Duke (* 22-2, 12-11)
A second-straight road game awaits the Blue Devils who will be at Virginia on Wednesday. Duke failed to cover a 21½-point spread at home mid-January in a 76-60 win. Coach K's lads will end the week at home against Georgia Tech, a team they beat twice last season including a narrow 65-61 win as nine-point favorites in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

6. San Diego State (25-1, 15-9)
The Aztecs have a home game versus New Mexico on Wednesday that is followed up with a trip to Colorado Springs on Saturday to meet Air Force. San Diego State met both back-to-back in reverse locales a month ago, winning each but failing to cover the 18½-point spread in a 68-55 win over the Falcons.

7. Brigham Young (24-2, 10-12)
BYU is in Ft. Worth to battle TCU on Saturday for its lone game this week. The Cougars hung an 83-67 loss on the Horned Frogs in Provo last month, with TCU covering the big 21½-point line.

8. Notre Dame (21-4, 13-8)
Mike Brey's Irish will have had a full week off when they continue their three-game Big East road trip on Saturday at West Virginia. The conference foes split their two meetings last season with a pair of two-point games, Notre Dame winning 70-68 at home as a five-point underdog and the Mountaineers earning the 53-51 win in the Big East Tournament, again as five-point favorites.

9. Villanova (19-6, 12-10)
The Wildcats look to shake their two-game losing skid when they travel to Seton Hall on Tuesday. 'Nova closes the week still on the road with Saturday's matchup at DePaul.

10. Connecticut (* 18-5, 10-7)
This week's award for the toughest slate goes to UConn who host No. 11 Georgetown on Wednesday, then makes a quick turnaround for a rare in-season Friday contest at No. 16 Louisville. The Huskies will be out for revenge from last year's 72-69 loss at the Hoyas who were favored by five. They'll also be seeking revenge against Cardinals after Louisville came to Storrs at the end of January and left with a 79-78 victory in double-overtime. UConn was 5½-point chalk in that loss.

* Pending game results from Sunday, Feb. 13.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:50 PM

Spurs next up for Nets on NBA odds slate

The San Antonio Spurs can see the light at the end of the tunnel with their eighth of a nine-game road trip moving to Newark's Prudential Center to take on the New Jersey Nets this Monday night. The tip for this one is scheduled for 4 p.m. (PT) and the game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV.

San Antonio continues to set the pace in the NBA this season with 16 victories in its last 19 games. The Spurs have run their league-best record to 45-9 straight-up (33-19-2 against the spread) and have a seven-game lead over Dallas in the Southwest Division and a seven-game lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference race.

Saturday night they scored 72 points in the first half on their way to a 118-94 romp over Washington as a 6 ½-point road favorite after being held to a season-low 71 points in a 77-71 loss to Philadelphia as a three-point road favorite this past Friday.

Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have provided the bulk of the scoring for San Antonio this year. Both are averaging over 17 points a game and Parker leads the team in assists with 6.7. Tim Duncan continues to be a force underneath the boards with 9.2 rebounds a game and is third on the team in scoring with 13.4 points. Richard Jefferson rounds out the starting lineup with 12.1 points and 4.1 rebounds a game, while George Hill is adding 11.1 points off the bench.

The Spurs are ranked sixth in the league in scoring with an average of 103.6 points a game. They are holding their opponents to just 96.3 points giving them the second highest scoring differential in the NBA. San Antonio is shooting 47.3 percent from the floor and just under 40 percent from three-point range. Defensively it is averaging 42.7 rebounds a game which is eighth-best in the league.

The only excitement in Newark this season was when New Jersey believed it had put a deal together to land Carmelo Anthony from Denver. The deal never materialized and the team’s on-court activity has remained mediocre at best. The Nets have won just two of their last six games and are 17-38 SU overall (26-29 ATS). Their aspirations of making the postseason have been just about exhausted as they currently sit in 12th-place in the East.

Center Brook Lopez leads New Jersey in points per game with 19.6 and rebounds with 5.7. He is joined by Devin Harris, who leads the team in assists with 7.7 a game and is the second leading scorer with 15.1 points and Anthony Morrow, who is averaging 12.6 points to form the basic talent pool of this team. Sasha Vujacic, who was acquired from the Lakers earlier in the season, has also chipped-in with 11.4 points a game.

The Nets are second-to-last in the NBA in scoring with an average of just 92.8 points a game. They are giving up an average of 98.6 points a game which amounts to one of the worst scoring differentials in the league. New Jersey is ranked 28th in shooting with a field goal percentage of 44.1 percent. It is hitting 35 percent of its attempts from three-point range and 76.3 percent of them from the foul-line.

San Antonio is 7-2 ATS in its last nine games on the road and 5-1 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last five games.

New Jersey is 3-3 ATS in its last six home games and 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last five games.

Head-to-head, the Spurs have won nine of the last 10 games SU, but the Nets are 3-1 ATS in the last four. The total has stayed ‘under’ in six of the last seven meetings.

Last season New Jersey came away with a 90-84 victory as a seven-point home underdog and the total stayed ‘under’ the 189 point line. This time around the opening line should be pretty much the same but the results will not. The Spurs learned their lesson from their trip here last year, and will find a way to put this game away early to easily win and cover.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:51 PM

NCAA Betting: Syracuse hosts West Virginia

Maybe the color orange has something to do with it. Then again, maybe not. Either way it's sure looking like this year's Syracuse Orange is a remake of last season's Texas Longhorns squad.

Syracuse dropped its sixth game in the last eight trips to the floor on Saturday, falling 73-69 at Louisville, setting the Orange up in must-win situations their final five games if they want a good shot of having a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament. The first of those must-wins comes Monday at home against the West Virginia Mountaineers who are in need of a strong closing run themselves.

ESPN will broadcast the tip a little past 4 p.m. (PT) from the Carrier Dome, leading into the Kansas, Kansas State contest at 6 p.m..

The latest defeat for Syracuse (20-6 straight up, 9-15 against the spread) marked the third week in the last four that that Orange have gone 0-2. The Orange opened the season 18-0, rising to No. 3 in both polls and even garnering some first-place votes. It's an eerily similar path that Texas took in the 2009-10 season, cranking off a 17-0 opening run to hit No. 1 in the polls only to see the season fall apart from that point on.

Favored by two at home, Louisville appeared to have a laugher on its hands when the Cardinals stretched their lead to 20 points in the second half. Syracuse fought back, however, before just falling short. Fifteen turnovers and four fewer three-pointers ultimately did the Orange in. Now we'll see if the furious and failed rally will prove a drain on Syracuse who has just one day of rest before Monday's tilt. Five players were on the court at least 30 minutes, led by Scoop Jardine and Brandon Tiche who scored 20 and 21 points respectively.

The recent 2-6 stretch – both SU and ATS – leaves the Orange 7-6 in conference play and one of five teams in a logjam for seventh place in the Big East, 4.5-games behind Pittsburgh.

West Virginia (16-8 SU, 9-12 ATS) hasn't been world beater itself the last month, going 4-4 straight up and 3-5 at the NCAA odds window. At 7-5 in the Big East, the Mountaineers are four games back of Pitt and tied with Villanova for fifth in the conference.

Bob Huggins' crew is coming off Saturday's 82-71 home win over DePaul, the victory snapping a two-game skid but leaving WVU 0-3 against the spread its last three games. John Flowers paced five Mountaineers in double-digits with 15 points, and the team was strong from the foul line making 20-of-25 free throws. West Virginia is shooting a tad less than 69 percent from the stripe on the season.

Syracuse backers looking for good news will find the Orange winning the last three meetings with West Virginia, all as underdogs. The lone meeting a season ago was a 72-71 Syracuse win as six-point underdogs on the road in Morgantown. The most recent matchup in Syracuse was Feb. 2009, a 74-61 triumph by the Orange.

Four of the last five battles between the two schools have gone 'under' the total. The one 'over' came in the 2009 Big East Tournament, a 74-69 Syracuse victory with the scoreboard number at 139.

Syracuse remains home following this game for Saturday's matchup with Rutgers. West Virginia returns home to host Notre Dame the same day.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:52 PM

Kansas and Kansas State top Monday NCAA betting

A No. 1 team arrived at Bramlage Coliseum about 13 months ago and promptly left Manhattan with its tail between its legs. The Kansas State Wildcats hope to repeat that performance Monday night and grab at least a little bit of redemption for a disappointing season when they host the Kansas Jayhawks.

Tip-off from the K-State campus comes a little past 6 p.m. (PT) with ESPN providing the telecast following the West Virginia, Syracuse matchup at the Carrier Dome.

Ohio State's loss at Wisconsin sets up Kansas, No. 2 according to last week's rankings, to assume the top spot on the college basketball totem pole. The irony is that it would not have been so unbelievable to think before the season started it could have been Kansas State (16-9 straight up, 9-13 against the spread) ranked No. 1 coming into this contest.

Ranked No. 3 by the coaches in the preseason, the 2010-11 Wildcats have been a miserable lot with early losses to Florida and UNLV plus the suspension of two key players setting the tone for their disappointing showing that includes an ugly 4-6 record in the Big 12.

A win on Monday could help make up for some of that. Kansas State proved a year ago it can take down a No. 1 when the Wildcats slapped Texas by a 71-62 count just a week after the Longhorns had moved up to the top slot in the polls. Even if Kansas is not on top of the rankings, this game will be a much tougher test for K-State who has lost its last seven to their rivals from Lawrence.

The Wildcats enter the week off Saturday's 58-56 defeat at Colorado that was a millisecond from being a 59-58 Kansas State victory. Rodney McGruder's successful three-point shot at the end of the game was ruled to have come after the game clock expired, and the Buffaloes had their first regular-season sweep of the Wildcats in seven years.

Saturday's loss came as a one-point underdog and snapped a modest two-game win streak for Kansas State, marking its third loss against the NCAA odds in four games. Both games against Colorado this campaign stayed 'under' the total, continuing that trend for the Wildcats who are 14-5 'under' this season, 3-1 below the number in conference home games.

Kansas (24-1 SU, 13-10 ATS) ran its winning stretch to six games with Saturday's easy 89-66 romp at home over Iowa State. Marcus and Markieff Morris each recorded double-doubles in the victory, Marcus scoring 16 points with 11 boards while Markieff added 14 points and the same rebound total.

All six games during the Jayhawks' win streak have gone 'over' the total leaving them 14-7 to the high side this season, 5-0 'over' in conference road tilts. Kansas is 5-1 ATS during the streak that started after their lone defeat of season Jan. 22 to Texas, 74-63.

The Jayhawks enjoyed an easy 90-66 home win on Jan. 29 over Kansas State, easily covering the 10-point spread NCAA oddsmakers laid on them. The Morris Brothers came up big in that game as well, combining for 30 points and 18 rebounds.

The January win was the seventh straight in the series for Kansas who is 5-2 ATS in the string, the 'over' also 5-2. Kansas State's last win over the Jayhawks was a Jan. 2008 home win, 84-75 as seven-point underdogs.

Kansas is back home for two after Monday's matchup, first taking on Colorado this Saturday followed by a quick turnaround to face Oklahoma State next Monday (Feb. 21). Kansas State will stay at home for Saturday's matchup with Oklahoma.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:53 PM

NHL Odds Preview: Washington at Phoenix

The Washington Capitals are still trying to find their long-lost offensive game as they start a five-game road trip Monday night at the Phoenix Coyotes.

The Capitals (29-17-10 for 68 points) are in second place in the Southeast Division, behind surprising Tampa Bay, and tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference standings. They’ve played some of their better hockey against Tampa this year (3-0-1).

Washington has had some tough luck overall. No team in the league has more OT losses, which is one reason for its decline after a league-leading 121 points last year.

Scoring is another huge issue, with a 2.66 goals per game average (ranked 19th) after an incredible 3.82 last year (easily first). Superstar Alex Ovechkin is the biggest culprit with just 21 goals (20th in the NHL) after 50 last season (ranked third).

The Capitals showed some offensive spark recently with a 5-2 win at Tampa Bay on Feb. 4 and a 3-0 home shutout of Pittsburgh on Feb. 6. Second-leading goal scorer (18) Alexander Semin was also returning the next game after missing 12 games (groin) and it looked like the offense might finally be turning around.

Instead, Washington lost 2-0 to San Jose last Tuesday and 4-1 to Los Angeles on Saturday. Both games were at home. Ovechkin did have the one goal, with the rest of the team getting blanked.

The ‘under’ is 3-0 in the Capitals’ last three games and 11-1-1 in the last 13. They’re easily the biggest ‘under’ team for the year (40-15-1).

Coach Bruce Boudreau now needs his team to refocus for this trip. The road has been a battle (12-10-3) and Washington is 0-6 in its last six games against the Western Conference.

Boudreau has gotten good overall play from goalies Semyon Varlamov (9-8-4, 2.22 GAA) and Michal Neuvirth (16-7-4, 2.45 GAA). Monday’s starter is not known. Goals allowed (2.41) ranks sixth overall in the NHL.

The Coyotes (29-19-9, 67 points) are tied for fourth place in the Western Conference. They’re in second in the very competitive Pacific Division, where five points separate top-dog Dallas (68) and bottom-dweller Los Angeles (63).

Phoenix comes into this game on a four-game winning streak. The last two came in overtime at Dallas and home to Chicago (both 3-2 wins).

The ‘under’ is 4-0 in Phoenix’s last four games, allowing four total goals. The ‘over’ is 32-23-2 for the year.

Phoenix is 12th in the NHL in scoring (2.79), with goals allowed (2.75) ranking 14th. This is a balanced offense with 10 players scoring at least 21 points, with defenseman Keith Yandle the leader at just 46.

Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov is tied for fifth in the league in starts (45) and his 2.58 GAA ranks 18th in the NHL. He’s been in net the last 15 games.

Phoenix has surprisingly been more successful away (16-9-4) than at home (13-10-5). However, three games in this winning streak have come at home over Minnesota (1-0), Colorado (3-0) and Chicago (3-2 in OT).

These teams last met in January of last year, with Washington winning 4-2 at home. The ‘under’ is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings overall.

Phoenix is just 2-11 in its last 13 against the Eastern Conference.

There are no significant injuries to report. The puck will drop from Jobing.com Arena at 6 p.m. (PT) and be broadcast on Versus.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:58 PM

K-St. in desperation mode

February 14, 2011

Bettors only have a half-dozen games on the college basketball menu for Monday night. However, a pair of those televised contests will keep you busy for a four-hour stretch.

Let’s start with West Virginia at Syracuse. These Big East rivals will collide at the Carrier Dome at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Most betting shops opened Syracuse (20-6 straight up, 9-15 against the spread) as a five-point favorite with a total of 133 ½. The Greek opened the Mountaineers at plus-175 on the money line (risk $100 to win $175).

Jim Boeheim’s team fell to 7-6 in Big East play following Saturday’s 73-69 loss at Louisville as a two-point underdog. The Orange trailed by as much as 20 early in the second half, only to rally and get within three at the 1:39 mark. But the late surge only served as a teaser for those who backed the ‘Cuse.

In the losing effort, Brandon Triche scored a team-high 21 points. Scoop Jardine added 20 points and C.J. Fair was also in double figures with 11 points and seven rebounds.

West Va. (16-8 SU, 9-12 ATS) got back in the win column Saturday even though it failed to cover the spread for the third straight time. Bob Huggins’ team captured an 82-71 win over DePaul as a 17 ½-point home ‘chalk.’

John Flowers led seven WVU players who had eight points or more by tallying 15 points, five rebounds and three blocked shots. Senior guard Joe Mazzulla finished with 12 points, six rebounds, six assists, one steal and just two turnovers. He made 3-of-4 shots from the field and buried all six of his free-throw attempts.

Casey Mitchell, playing in just his third game since serving a three-game suspension, got back into the flow after scoring just four points in his first two games back. Mitchell played 17 minutes and scored 11 points from off the bench, making 4-of-6 from the floor. He still averages a team-high 15.0 points per game.

Syracuse has won three in a row over WVU in the head-to-head rivalry, including last year’s 72-71 win in Morgantown as a five-point road underdog. The ‘under’ is 5-1 in the last six encounters between these schools.

The ‘under’ has cashed in four of the ‘Cuse’s last five games. For the season, the Orange has watched the ‘under’ go 14-9 overall, 9-5 in its home outings.

The ‘over’ is 11-9 overall for WVU after cashing in its last two games.

Kansas State began the season as a top-five team but it’s been a trying campaign for Frank Martin, who led the school to its first Elite Eight since the Lon Kruger Era (1988 to be exact) last year. But the Wildcats have dealt with suspensions and drama galore, so they find themselves in dire need of a victory tonight vs. Kansas.

Truth be told, Kansas St. (16-9 SU, 6-13 ATS) would most likely be an NIT team if the season was over now. Martin’s team is just 4-6 in Big 12 play and is winless in seven games against teams in the RPI’s Top 50.

These facts will have the Wildcats in desperation mode tonight against arch-rival KU. They will also be looking to avenge a 90-66 blowout loss in Lawrence on Jan. 29. On that night, the Jayhawks cruised to an easy win as 10-point home favorites. Markieff Morris was the catalyst with 20 points and nine rebounds in just 21 minutes of playing time.

K-St. is coming off a gut-wrenching 58-56 loss Thursday at Colorado. Rodney McGruder drained a fadeaway 3-pointer that would’ve given the Wildcats the win, but replays showed that McGrduer’s shot wasn’t released until just after the buzzer sounded.

Kansas (24-1 SU, 13-10 ATS) has won six in a row since suffering its lone loss of the season at home against Texas. The Jayhawks have taken the cash in each of their last five games, including Saturday’s 89-66 home win over Iowa St. as 19 ½-point favorites.

The Morris Brothers both produced double-doubles in the victory over the Cyclones. Marcus went for 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Markieff finished with 14 points and 11 boards.

Kansas has dominated K-St. over the last two decades, winning 42 of the last 44 head-to-head meetings. The Jayhawks have won seven in a row over the Wildcats, compiling a 6-1 spread record. They are 20-6 ATS in the last 26 encounters.

K-St. has won 12 of its 13 home games, posting a 4-3 spread record. The Wildcats are home underdogs tonight for the first time this year.

The ‘under’ has cashed at a lucrative 14-5 overall clip for K-St., going 5-2 in its home games. On the flip side, the ‘over’ is 15-8 overall for KU, cashing in each of its last six outings.

As of early this morning, most books had Kansas listed as a five-point favorite with a total of 147 1/2.

ESPN will have television coverage at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

--Kansas has 14 wins over RPI Top 100 teams, while Ohio St. has a 12-1 record against those same squads.

--Arizona continued its dominance of the Pac-10 last night, riding the hot hand of Kyle Fogg (26 points) to a 67-52 win over Arizona St. as a five-point road favorite.

--Duke got a pair of meaningless free throws with 11 seconds left to capture an 81-71 win at Miami as a 10-point road favorite. The Hurricanes had a 3-point shot with several ticks remaining to cover but it was off the mark. The 152 combined points jumped ‘over’ the 145-point total.

--Tu Holloway and Dante Jackson combined to score 39 points to lead Xavier to a 71-63 win at Duquesne as a 5 ½-point road underdog. The Muskateers, who hooked up money-line backers with a plus-200 return (risk $100 to win $200), took sole possession of first place in the A-10 with the victory.

--Georgetown won its eighth consecutive game Sunday, beating Marquette 69-60 as a six-point home ‘chalk.’ Chris Wright scored 20 points and dished out five assists, while Austin Freeman chipped in with 17 points.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 01:59 PM

Who's Hot, Who's Not?

February 14, 2011

There’s still some time left in the college hoops season to take advantage of various team trends that are either emerging in recent weeks, or have been present for much longer. Following is a conference-by-conference look at "who’s hot" and "who’s not hot" against the pointspread, as well as any team "totals" worth noting. All records are vs. the points, thru February 13...

ATLANTIC 10: Who’s hot...Duquesne 8-2 last 10 (though Dukes have dropped their last two) and 5-1 last 6 at home; George Washington 9-3 last 12 and 6-1 last 7 as dog; Rhode Island alternating spread covers and spread losses last ten games; Richmond 5-1 last 6 away from Robins Center; St. Bonaventure 4-0 last 4, also covers last 4 on road; Who’s not hot...Dayton 1-5 last 6, 3-7 last 10; Saint Louis 5-9 last 14; St. Joe’s 1-4 last 5 at home; "TOTALS"...Charlotte "over" 5-1 last 6; St. Joe’s "under" 8-3 last 11; St. Bonaventure "under" 7-2 last 9; Temple "over" 6-2-1 last 9.

ACC: Who’s hot...Boston College 7-3 last 10, 5-2 last 7 away; Florida State 4-1 last 5 at home; Miami 6-2 last 8 as dog; North Carolina 7-0 last 7; Virginia 8-2 last 10; Who’s not hot...Duke 1-4 last 5 at home; Maryland 1-4 last 5 at home; Miami 0-5 last 5 as chalk; NC State 1-8 last 9 (though the Wolfpack did whip Wake Forest on Sunday); Wake Forest 3-10-2 last 15; "TOTALS"...Boston College "over" 4-1 last 5; Clemson "under" 4-1 last 5; Georgia Tech "under" 6-3 last 9; Wake Forest "over" 4-1 last 5.

BIG XII: Who’s hot...Kansas 5-0 last 5; Missouri 4-0 last 4; Texas 11-3 last 14; Texas Tech 5-1 last 6; Who’s not hot...Baylor 3-7 last 10, 1-5 last 6 at home; Iowa State 1-6 last 7; Kansas State 3-10 last 13, 0-8 last 8 away; Missouri 1-4 last 5 away; Oklahoma State 1-5 last 6, 1-5 last 6 away as well; Texas A&M 1-4 last 5 and 2-6 last 8; "TOTALS"...Iowa State "over" 5-0 last 5; Kansas "over" 6-0 last 6; Kansas State "under" 14-4 entire season; Texas "under" 13-3 last 16; Texas Tech "over" 6-2 last 8 (though "under" last 2.

BIG EAST: Who’s hot...DePaul 7-3 last 10 as double-digit dog; Georgetown 4-0 last 4 away; Louisville 5-2 last 7 away; Notre Dame 6-1 last 7; Pitt 7-2 last 9; Seton Hall 4-1 last 5; Who’s not hot...Cincinnati 2-8 last 10, 1-5 last 6 away; UConn 1-4 last 5; Georgetown 2-5 last 7 at home; St. John’s 4-7 as chalk; Syracuse 2-6 last 8; Villanova 1-5 last 6; West Virginia 0-3 last 3; "TOTALS"...DePaul "over" 6-2 last 8; Marquette "under" last 5 and 7-2 last 9; South Florida "under" 5-1 last 6; St. John’s "under" 5-2 last 7; Syracuse "under" 4-1 last 5; Villanova "under" 7-2 last 9; West Virginia "under" 5-2 last 7.

BIG TEN: Who’s hot...Michigan 5-1 last 6, 3-0 last 3 away; Wisconsin 7-3 last 10, 6-1 last 7 at home; Who’s not hot...Michigan State 1-9 last 10, 0-5 last 5 away; Minnesota 1-4 last 5; Northwestern 1-5 last 6; Ohio State 4-7 last 11; "TOTALS"...Iowa "under" 7-2 last 9, Michigan "over" 8-2 last 10.

BIG WEST: Who’s hot...Cal Poly 5-0 last 5; Long Beach State 4-0 last 4; Cal State Northridge 5-2 last 7; UC Davis 7-2 last 9 away; Who’s not hot...UC Riverside 2-5 last 7, UC Santa Barbara 1-7 last 8, UC Davis 1-6 last 7 at home; "TOTALS"...Cal State Fullerton "under" 4-1 last 5; Pacific "over" 6-1 last 7; UC Irvine "over" 8-3 last 11.

COLONIAL: Who’s hot...George Mason 12-0 last 12, 11-1 last 12 as home chalk; Georgia State 5-2 last 7 at home; Old Dominion 4-1 last 5 away; William & Mary 4-1 as road dog; Who’s not hot...Delaware 4-8 last 12, 0-6 last 6 at home; James Madison 1-4 last 5 at home; Old Dominion 1-4-1 last 6 at home; Virginia Commonwealth 2-5 last 7 at home; "TOTALS"...Drexel "under" 7-0 last 7, George Mason "over" 6-1 last 7, Northeastern "over" 11-0 last 11, NC-Wilmington "over" 5-0-1 last 6, Virginia Commonwealth "over" 6-1 last 7.

CONFERENCE USA: Who’s hot...East Carolina 5-1 last 6 away, Houston 8-2 last 10, Marshall 5-1-1 last 7 as dog; Memphis 7-2 last 9; SMU 5-0-1 last 6; UTEP 6-2 last 8 as chalk; Tulsa 3-0 away; UAB 4-0 away; Who’s not hot...UCF 0-11 last 11; East Carolina 2-6 last 8 at home; Tulane 1-7-1 last 9, and 0-4 last 4 at home; "TOTALS"...UCF "under" 4-0 last 4, Memphis "under" 8-2 last 10, Rice "over" 6-2 last 8, UTEP "under" 7-2 last 9, Tulsa "under" 5-1-1 last 7.

HORIZON: Who’s hot...Detroit 3-0 last 3 at home; UW-Milwaukee 5-1 last 6; Wright State 3-0-1 last 4 as dog; Youngstown State 5-3-2 last 10; Who’s not hot...Butler 2-6-1 last 9; Cleveland State 0-3 last 3; Detroit 0-5-2 last 7 away; Loyola-Chicago 4-10 last 14, and 2-6 last 8 away; UW-Green Bay 1-4 last 5; "TOTALS"...Butler "over" 9-3 last 10; Loyola-Chicago "over" 4-1 last 5; Valparaiso "over" 6-2 last 8; Youngstown State "over" 5-1 last 6.

IVY: Who’s hot...Brown 4-1 last 5, Columbia 7-4 all season, Cornell 4-0 last 5, Penn 5-1 at home, Princeton 4-0 as dog, Yale 6-2 last 8; Who’s not hot...Dartmouth 1-4 last 5 and 1-4 last 5 at home; Harvard 0-4 last 4 and 1-6 last 7, also 1-5 as chalk; Princeton 2-5 at home; "TOTALS"...Brown "over" 6-0 last 6, Harvard "over" 3-0 last 3, Yale "over" 5-0 last 5.

METRO-ATLANTIC: Who’s hot...Canisius 8-3 last 11, Loyola-Maryland 5-0 last 5 as dog, Manhattan 6-1-1 last 8, also 6-1 last 7 away; Niagara 4-1 last 5 at home, St. Peter’s 6-1 last 7, also 7-1 at home all season; Who’s not hot...Iona 0-7-1 last 8, Marist 1-5 last 6, Rider 3-8 last 11, also 0-6 last 6 as chalk; Siena 2-9 last 11; "TOTALS"...Manhattan "under" 9-3 last 12, Niagara "under" 12-2 last 14, Rider "under" 5-2 last 7, Siena "under" 5-2 last 7.

MID-AMERICAN: Who’s hot...Akron 4-1 last 5, Eastern Michigan 4-1 last 5, Kent State 10-5 last 15, Miami-Ohio 7-4-1 last 12; Who’s not hot...Ball State 2-5 last 7, Bowling Green 1-4 last 5, Central Michigan 2-9-3 last 14, also 0-5-2 last 7 away; Ohio 3-6 last 9, also 1-5 last 6 at home; Western Michigan 2-5 last 7, also 0-3 last 3 at home; "TOTALS"...Bowling Green "over" 6-0 last 6, Buffalo "over" 12-4 last 16, Central Michigan "under" 17-5 all season, Miami-Ohio "over" 9-2 last 11, Northern Illinois "over" 5-1 last 6, Western Michigan "over" 6-0 last 6.

MISSOURI VALLEY: Who’s hot...Bradley 4-0 last 4, Creighton 4-1 last 5 as dog, Drake 5-1 last 6, also 4-0 last 4 at home; Evansville 5-1 last 6, 4-1 last 5 at home; Indiana State 12-5 last 17, 5-1 last 6 away; Wichita State 5-1 last 6, 7-0 last 7 away; Who’s not hot...Illinois State 8-15-1 all season, also 0-4 last 4 and 3-12 at home; Missouri State 1-7 last 8, also 0-4 last 4 away; Northern Iowa 0-4 last 4; Southern Illinois 1-6 last 7, also 1-5 last 6 away; "TOTALS"...Bradley "over" 11-4 last 15, Creighton "over" 7-3 last 10, Evansville "over" 5-1 last 6, Indiana State "over" 6-2 last 8, Missouri State "over" 8-1 last 9, Northern Iowa "over" 7-2 last 9.

MOUNTAIN WEST: Who’s hot...Air Force 5-2 last 7, also 5-0 away; Colorado State 12-5 last 17; Wyoming 5-1 last 6, also 4-0 last 4 at home; Who’s not hot...New Mexico 2-6 last 8 away, TCU 3-9 last 12; UNLV 1-6 last 7, also 2-6 last 8 at home: "TOTALS"...Air Force "over" 12-5 all season, Colorado State "under" 4-0 last 4, San Diego State "under" 12-3 last 15, UNLV "under" 10-4 last 14, Utah "under" 9-4 last 13.

PACIFIC 10: Who’s hot...Arizona 5-0-1 last 6, Cal 5-1 last 6 away, Oregon 6-1 last 7, Stanford 4-1 last 5, UCLA 4-1 last 5 at home; Who’s not hot...Southern Cal 1-6-2 last 9, Washington 2-5 last 7; "TOTALS"...Arizona "over" 4-1 last 5, Arizona State "over" 5-2 last 7, Cal "over" 10-2-1 last 13, Oregon State "under" 6-0 last 6; Southern Cal "under" 11-5 last 16; Stanford "over" 4-0 last 4; UCLA "under" 11-4 last 15; Washington "over" 5-1 last 6.

SOUTHEASTERN: Who’s hot...Alabama 10-2 last 12, also 8-0 last 8 at home; Auburn 6-1 last 7; Florida 5-0 last 5 as dog; Georgia 5-0-1 last 6 away; Who’s not hot...Arkansas 2-5-1 last 8, also 1-6 last 7 away; Florida 2-5 last 7 as chalk; Kentucky 3-7 last 10, also 1-5 last 6 away; LSU 1-6-1 last 8; Mississippi State 5-13-2 all season, 1-6-1 last 8 away; South Carolina 1-5 last 6, 0-4 last 4 at home; "TOTALS"...Florida "over" 8-4 last 12, Kentucky "under" 6-2-1 last 9, LSU "under" 10-1 last 11, Ole Miss "under" 5-1 last 6, Mississippi State "under" 4-1 last 5, Tennessee "under" 9-0 last 9.

WEST COAST: Who’s hot...Pepperdine 4-1 last 5, San Francisco 9-2 last 11, also 5-1 last 6 at home; Santa Clara 5-2 last 7; Who’s not hot...Loyola-Marymount 2-9 last 11, also 0-7 last 7 at home; Saint Mary’s 2-5-1 last 8, also 1-4:under" 16-5 last 21; Pepperdine under" 3-0 last 3; Portland "under" 3-0 last 3; San Diego "under" 10-2 last 12; Santa Clara "under" 7-2 last 9; Saint Mary’s "over" 5-2 last 7.

WAC: Who’s hot...Hawaii 12-6 all season, Idaho 11-3-3 last 17, also 8-1-2 last 11 as dog and 4-1 last 5 at home; New Mexico State 8-2-2 last 12, also 5-0-1 last 6 at home; Who’s not hot...Boise State 2-11-1 last 14; San Jose State 2-5 last 7; "TOTALS"...La Tech "under" 10-3-1 last 14; Nevada "over" 8-3 last 11; San Jose State "over" 5-0 last 5 and 9-2 last 11; Utah State "under" 7-2 last 9.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 02:01 PM

The Winner is...

February 14, 2011

With the 2010-11 College Hoops regular season one month away from the Big Dance, and the Academy Awards just around the corner, it’s important to get a pulse on how teams are performing at box office both home and on the road this campaign in the ever-popular ATS (Against The Spread) categories.

While there is no certainty that teams will continue over-or-under achieving in their best or worst roles, there is certainly no need to be hopping off the bandwagon at this stage of the season.

Let’s examine the Top Five best and the very worst results by teams in games played at home and on the road through Saturday, February 12 of this season. All results are ATS…

COLLEGE BASKETBALL HOME TEAMS

Moneymakers:
1. George Mason 10-1
2. Alabama 8-1
3. Purdue 6-1
4. Houston 5-1-1
5. Illinois 8-2

Moneyburners:
1. Ohio U 1-9
2. Loyola Cal 1-7
3. Central Florida 1-7
4. San Diego 1-7
5. UC Davis 1-6

COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROAD TEAMS

Moneymakers:
1. Georgia 6-0-1
2. UAB 9-1
3. Wichita State 7-1
4. Duquesne 6-1
5. Texas 6-1

Moneyburners:
1. Kansas State 1-7
2. Georgia State 1-6
3. NC State 1-6
4. Arkansas 1-5
5. Missouri, Wyoming 1-5

There you have it, nominations for the best and worst ATS performances by teams in a starring role to date this season. While not maybe not yet Oscar worthy, it’s best to remember that forewarned is forearmed…

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 02:03 PM

Midwestern Report

Each week, we will take an inside look at some key injuries and developments in College Basketball’s heartland.

Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State has dropped five of its last seven games and is in danger of missing the tournament. The Spartans were off back-to-back 20-plus point losses to Iowa and Wisconsin before getting a much-needed win over Penn State on Thursday night. They may have suffered yet another set-back as starting forward Delvon Roe suffered an apparent knee injury. After the game, coach Tom Izzo said he wasn't sure of Roe's status. Roe’s current status is questionable for MSU’s next game on Tuesday.

We noted last week how Michigan State already dismissed guard Korie Lucious for the rest of the season. Losing another starter would be a huge blow for Sparty. Roe is fourth in scoring, second in rebounding, and the top shot blocker for MSU. The Spartans have a brutal stretch of games upcoming; at Ohio State, vs. Illinois, and at Minnesota. If Roe is unable to play, you may find value against MSU.

Louisville Cardinals

The injury bug has hit Louisville harder than any other team in the nation. Seven players have missed time because of various injuries but things may be looking up for the Cardinals. Leading scorer Preston Knowles (14.8 points per game) returned to the lineup on Wednesday after missing Louisville’s last game with a hamstring injury. The Cards could get back two more reinforcements on Saturday as forward Rakeem Buckles (broken finger) and center Gorgui Dieng (concussion) both practiced Thursday.

Buckles, Louisville's leading rebounder, hasn't played since December and has missed the Cards’ first 11 Big East games. Dieng, the team’s top shot blocker, has missed four games after sustaining a concussion on Jan. 26.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota is another team that has been overwhelmed with bad news. Reserve forward Mo Walker tore ligaments in his knee, junior guard and third leading scorer Devoe Joseph left the team, and starting point guard and the leagues leader in steals, Al Nolen, broke his foot.

Without Nolen, Minnesota lacks a true point guard and offensive facilitator. Minnesota has now dropped four straight games and is 1-4 overall without Nolen. Blake Hoffarber is playing out-of-position at point guard and has 18 turnovers compared to just 11 assists in the new role.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Jeff Brooks, PSU’s leading rebounder and second leading scorer, was back on the floor for Penn State on Thursday night. Brooks dislocated his shoulder against Illinois on February 1 and missed PSU’s last game against Michigan.

Brooks, normally a starter, came off the bench for the Nittany Lions Thursday night and played 33 minutes and scored 15 points on a perfect six-of-six shooting night. Penn State has now dropped three straight games and five of its last seven games. The once promising hopes of a tournament bid are slipping away.

Kansas Jayhawks

Super-freshman guard Josh Selby missed the past two games for the Jayhawks while suffering from a stress reaction in his foot. Selby is expected to return on Saturday vs. Iowa State, though he is still listed as ‘questionable’.

Selby is the team’s third leading scorer at 12 points per game, but Kansas’ offense didn’t seem to miss a beat without him. The Jayhawks scored 86 and 103 points in two wins while shooting a combined 58.5 percent from the floor. Brady Morningstar has filled in nicely for Selby the previous two games with 27 points, 13 assists, and 0 turnovers.

Butler Bulldogs

Leading scorer and rebounder Matt Howard suffered a concussion and needed eight stitches to close a head wound suffered in the Bulldogs’ February 7th meeting with Illinois-Chicago. Butler was able to win without him on Wednesday night thanks to a big game from his replacement in the starting lineup, Andrew Smith. Smith tallied 15 points and 6 boards in a season-high 32 minutes.

Matt Howard averages 17.1 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game, and also leads Butler in blocks. He is questionable for Saturday’s home meeting with Detroit. This is the second concussion suffered by Howard in the past year, so don’t be surprised if Butler holds him out for precautionary reasons.

Kansas State Wildcats

Starting forward Curtis Kelly has been cleared to play the rest of the season. Kelly had been under review for supposedly another violation of the student-athlete handbook. He had to sit out three games earlier this year.

Kelly has already missed nine games for the Wildcats because of violations and improper benefits received. Though preseason expectations were extremely high for Kelly and the Wildcats, neither has lived up to potential. Kansas State is just 4-4 the past eight games while Kelly is averaging just 9.9 points and 4.9 rebounds.

Wright State

Forward Cooper Land returned on Thursday night after missing the previous seven games after aggravating a surgically repaired right knee. Land scored 12 points in 19 minutes off the bench. Unfortunately, third leading scorer Troy Tabler has missed six straight games with a broken finger and his timetable for recovery is still uncertain. Wright State currently sits in third place in the Horizon league. The Raiders’ next two games are against the top two teams in the Horizon, Valparaiso and Cleveland State.

Northern Iowa Panthers

The Panthers will be without forward Lucas O’Rear for the rest of the year. O’Rear is the Panthers’ leading rebounder and fifth leading scorer. The loss of O'Rear is a tough blow for the Panthers (18-6, 9-3 Missouri Valley), who've won eight straight to vault back into at-large consideration for the NCAA tournament. For what it’s worth, UNI was upset in back-to-back games since O’Rear’s injury.

**StarDust Bum** · 02-14-2011, 02:05 PM

Preview: Spurs (45-9) at Nets (17-38)

Date: February 14, 2011 7:00 PM EDT

The San Antonio Spurs were able to rest their starters as they capped a stretch of four games in five nights with a much-needed rout. That probably doesn't bode well for the New Jersey Nets.

San Antonio faces New Jersey on Monday night looking for its sixth victory in seven games as it nears the end of its nine-game rodeo road trip.

Spurs coach Greg Popovich made his first change to the starting five this season in a 118-94 victory over Washington on Saturday, inserting George Hill in place of Manu Ginobili. Hill scored 18 points and went 4 of 4 from 3-point range, while Ginobili played only eight-plus minutes and had six points.

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Tim Duncan played 12 minutes - his fewest since Dec. 2, 2007 - and also scored six.

``It's huge for us,' Ginobili said. ``We earned ourselves the possibility to rest a little bit, and it's well-needed.'

The victory came after San Antonio (46-9) had its worst offensive output in nearly three seasons in a 77-71 loss to Philadelphia on Friday. The Spurs shot a season-low 33.3 percent from the field.

San Antonio made 58.4 percent of its shots Saturday, with Tony Parker scoring 18 points.

``It's just one of those games,' Parker said. ``Coming back from a tough game (Friday), we didn't shoot the ball well, (Saturday) everything was going in.'

The turnaround helped the Spurs move to 5-2 on their longest trip of the season and improve to an NBA-best 20-7 away from home.

A better-rested San Antonio team will face a New Jersey club that lost for the sixth time in nine games Saturday, 105-95 to New York.

The Knicks, playing without star Amare Stoudemire, shot 47.1 percent from 3-point range as the New Jersey (17-38) missed out on its first three-game winning streak since a four-game run Jan. 31-Feb. 7, 2009.

``With a team like that, with the way they shoot the ball, you've got to hold their percentage on 3-pointers down," said guard Devin Harris, who scored a game-high 22 points but had five turnovers. "We didn't do a good job of rotating. We gave them wide-open shots in their sweet spots."

New Jersey may need to improve quickly when it comes to defending the arc. San Antonio went 13 of 25 on 3s on Saturday and is near the top of the league in 3-point shooting at 39.5 percent.

Harris scored 16 points in a win over Charlotte on Friday, and has back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts for the first time since Jan. 24 and 26. He's averaged 19.8 points in his last five games against San Antonio.

Rookie Derrick Favors had nine points and a season-high 14 rebounds versus the Knicks.

Center Brook Lopez scored 22 points and grabbed 12 boards as the Nets ended a 14-game losing streak against the Spurs with a 90-84 home victory March 29, the teams' last meeting.

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